Company-Crushing Killers Lurking Inside Your Business

The team behind the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo™, co-located with Deck Expo (PSP/Deck Expo) created PSP/Deck+, a free event that provided an opportunity for registrants to network, learn best practices and discover new technology. 

Highlights included all-new education sessions, such as "12 Company-Crushing Killers That May Be Lurking Inside Your Business Right Now" led by Brett Lloyd Abbott.

"I'm talking about issues that can be lurking in your business underneath the surface," said the owner and chief pool marketing strategist at Pool Builder Marketing LLC.  

Abbott's class covered ways to create marketing that will cut through the clutter and get you noticed. 

He provided those 12 "company killers" including fragmented marketing, platitudes, creativity and repetition—and solutions for each. 

Fragmented marketing

Fragmented marketing "results from starting a business and not having one cohesive strategy," Abbott said.

The solution? A single strategic marketing plan.

"This is the basis for what you're going to do and say about your company," Abbott said. 

"You decide, okay, 'are we going to have a website?' And if so, 'what are we going to say? Are we going to do a video' and if so, 'what are we going to say?' he continued. 

"Basically, your company needs to have one story and you need to be speaking with one voice."

Platitudes

Platitudes are defined as flat, trite or banal remarks, especially uttered as if fresh or profound. 

"Now this is a shockingly rampant problem," Abbott noted. "It's been around at least since the 60s. We can honestly blame television for this because most TV commercials back then were filled with platitudes.

"You know, when someone says, 'Well, why should I hire you?' And they said, 'Well, because we're driven to satisfy our customers.' If you stop and think about it, what does that say about your company? You're driven to satisfy your customers? Who wouldn't say that? Everyone would say that, right? What is it tell me about your company? Honestly, nothing." 

Abbott advises against using empty statements that lack evidence—i.e. "We have the best people" or "Built with integrity and experience."

These things turn off customers, he noted, comparing it to hearing the teacher from "Charlie Brown." 

"That's basically what platitudes do when you speak in platitudes to your prospects," Abbott said. "That's what they're hearing." 

So, how do you eradicate this issue? 

"Well, instead of talking in platitudes, you've got to come forward with evidence and facts tell us things that we can understand and believe," Abbott said. 

Examples he gave of his business: a member of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance for 17 years; three CBP-certified building professionals on staff; more than 371 five-star Google reviews. 

"Those are facts," Abbott said. "You can't dispute those facts. Been in business for 87 years, whatever. Evidence and facts are what overcome the platitude problem. 

"Here's an interesting concept," he continued. "The concept is that people tell the truth with specifics and lie with generalities."

Creativity and repetition

To discuss this topic, Abbott showed the famous Budweiser commercial with the talking parrots.

Anheuser Busch has made commercials with talking frogs and Clydesdales. 

Not once during those commercials, Abbott pointed out, did Bud say anything about its product. Nor was anyone in that commercial even drinking beer.

"It's creativity and reputation," Abbott noted. "Throw some money at the wall and see what sticks. 

"The problem with creativity and repetition is it's very expensive," he continued. "If you don't have unlimited funds, a much better approach is direct response advertising. 

"Direct response is designed to get the attention of people right up front and get them to take action based on that act."

Abbott suggests following these four tips for direct response advertising: Interrupt, Engage, Educate and Offer. 

All of the sessions will be on-demand until Dec. 20

Sign up for PSP/Deck+ here.